To ensure the city’s water sufficiency, the Yangon City Development Committee plans to establish water reserve zones within the municipal area for constructing rainwater harvesting ponds.
As an initial project, these ponds will be constructed in Maha Bandoola Park, located in Kyauktada Township, along with other green plains, as announced by the committee’s hydrologist Dr Zaw Win.
The committee has completed a feasibility survey for building rainwater storage facilities. With public cooperation, the collected rainwater will help replenish depleting underground water reserves, prevent saltwater contamination, and mitigate the risk of collapses in underground water layers.
Dr Zaw Win explained, “Our approach draws inspiration from the artificial water recharge system used in India. Residents will construct small underground storage units in their yards to collect rainwater. The water, excluding sewage, along with rainwater, will be directed through a pipeline measuring three inches in diameter and 10 feet in length, ultimately reaching the underground storage. This method will effectively replenish the underground water levels, reducing the risk of collapses for tube well users”.
As Yangon experiences rapid population growth, much of its green spaces, spread across 790 square kilometres spanning 33 townships, are being lost to concrete buildings and streets. This trend contributes to the decline in underground water levels.
The initiative will begin in Maha Bandoola Park starting from this year’s rainy season and gradually extend to other areas that previously housed defunct tube wells. — ASH/NT
